Structural member for buildings



, 7, 1 H, W. HAHN ET AL 2,146,539

STRUCTURAL MEMBER FOR BUILDINGS Filed Feb. 5, 1937 INVENTORJ,

A ORNEY. f

Patented Feb. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STRUCTURAL MEIWBER FOR BUILDINGS Harry W. Hahn, Glendale, and Charles E. Keas and Edmund P. Burke, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application February 5, 1937, Serial No. 124,274

9 Claims.

members or rails of uniform cross section andv web members or braces connecting said rails and adapted to be permanently interlocked with said rails so as to provide maximum rigidity and strength, economy in production and durability.

Structural members of the character contemplated by our presentimprovements are designed for use as joists, trusses, studs, rafters and the like for use in building structures in lieu of the usual wooden members, and it is an object to provide a light weight structural unit wherein weaving, twisting and lateral or longitudinal movement of the members of the unit is impossible and wherein other disadvantages of the present type of members are overcome.

To this end we contemplate in the type of memher to be herein described the provision of deeply channelled rails of uniform cross section and strength with the webs and flanges of the channels at relatively right angles, and channelled braces having extremities of fiat cross section conforming to the width of the channels in the rails and engaging the webs thereof. Portions are bent inwardly from the flanges of the rails over the extremities of the braces without distortion of the outer edges of said flanges while the webs of the rails are also locked to the brace extremities, thus providing maximum rigidity.

We have shown a preferred form of unit in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a unit;

Fig. 2 is a section of the same on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section of the body of a brace on line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation on line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation on line 6-6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the web member.

Our improvements include a pair of similar rails A, A, of uniform size and cross section with flat parallel webs I and relatively right angularly disposed flanges 2, 2, and a plurality of similar braces B, B, etc., of channelled cross section throughout the extent of their intermediate bodies 3 but having oppositely turned flat feet 4 at their extremities which, together with portions 5 are of a width closely fitting the inner sides of the flanges 2 of the rails, and are adapted to engage the webs I of said rails, as shown in Fig. 5. The

feet 4 of adjacent braces, it will be observed, are abutting, and are adapted to be interlocked with the rails A as by means of lugs B which are arranged in pairs at spaced positions and are inwardly bent from the flanges 2 without distorting 5 the outer edges of said flanges and so as to tightly engage and to overlie the inner surfaces of the feet 4.

The feet 4 are sufiiciently elongated, as shown in Fig. 5, to engage substantial portions of the rail Webs I and are interlocked, as at I, at a plu-- rality of points with the webs I as by means of portions 8 formed on webs I and engageable with corresponding indentations 9 formed on the feet 4 for permanently attaching the brace extremities to the rails. The braces are preferably of an arcuate cross section which may vary from a semi-elliptical section as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, to a parabolic or semi circular section.

The interlocking portions 8 and 9 on the rail webs I and the feet 4 of the braces may be formed prior to or after the assembly of the units as may be found most desirable, serve to prevent longitudinal displacement of the chord and web members and to provide maximum rigidity.

It will be noted that the feet 4 have notches ID on their opposite edges which interlock with the lugs 6 and thus serve to afford additional rigidity.

The unit shown and described lends itself conveniently to modern machine production thereby providing economy in manufacture, and is durable and strong, the advantages of its production and use being readily apparent to those familiar with the building arts.

What we claim is:

1. A fabricated metal structural unit comprising: a pair of chord members having parallel webs and inwardly turned flanges forming rectangular channels, and Web members connecting said chord members and having abutting extremities of fiat cross section overlying the webs of said chord members and attached thereto, and lugs bent inwardly from the flanges of said chord members over the flat portions of said Web members without distorting the free edges of said flanges.

2. A fabricated metal structural unit comprising: a pair of rails having inwardly turned flanges forming rectangular channels, and braces con-' meeting said rails and having extremities of flat cross section overlying said rails and lugs formed on said rails without distorting the free edges of said flanges and extending over the flat portions of said braces, the corresponding extremities of said braces being in opposed relation.

3. A fabricated metal structural unit comprissaid rails and lugs bent inwardly from the flanges of said rails and overlying said feet, without distorting the free edges of said flanges.

4. A fabricated metal structural unit comprising: a pair of rails having parallel webs and relatively right angularly disposed and inwardly turned flanges forming channels of rectangular cross section, and a plurality of brace members alternately inclined in opposite directions and having abutting feet overlying said web, lugs formed on said rails without distorting the free edges of said flanges and overlying said feet, and means for interlocking said feet with said rails.

5. A fabricated metal structural unit comprising: a pair of rails having parallel webs and relatively right angularly disposed and inwardly turned flanges forming channels of rectangular cross section, and a plurality of brace members alternately inclined in opposite directions and having channelled intermediate portions, widened portions intermediate said flanges and abutting feet of flat cross section overlying said web, and lugs inwardly turned from said flanges and overlying said feet, said lugs being spaced from the free edges of said flanges to prevent the weakening of said rails.

6. A fabricated metal structural unit comprising: a pair of rails having parallel Webs and relatively right angularly disposed and inwardly turned flanges forming channels of rectangular cross section, and a plurality of brace members alternately inclined in opposite directions and having channelled intermediate portions, widened portions intermediate said flanges and abutting feet of flat cross section overlying said web,

" and lugs inwardly turned from said flanges and overlying said feet, said lugs being of substantial width and arranged in pairs whereby transversely opposite lugs will extend over the opposite lateral portions of each brace foot.

7. A fabricated metal structural unit comprising: a pair of rails having parallel webs and relatively right angularly disposed and inwardly turned flanges forming channels of rectangular cross section, and a plurality of brace members alternately inclined in opposite directions and having channelled intermediate portions, and abutting feet of flat cross section overlying said web, and lugs inwardly turned from said flanges without distorting the free edges of said flanges, and overlying said feet, said feet having notches therein for reception of said lugs.

8. A fabricated metal structural unit comprising: a pair of rails having parallel webs and relatively right angularly disposed and inwardly turned flanges forming channels of rectangular cross section, and a plurality of brace members alternately inclined in opposite directions and having channelled intermediate portions of less Width than the channels of said rails, and abutting feet of flat cross section overlying said web, lugs inwardly turned from said flanges and overlying said feet, said lugs being of substantial width and arranged in pairs whereby transversely opposite lugs Will extend over the opposite lateral portions of each brace foot, said feet being interlocked with portions of the webs of said rails, for rigidly connecting said rails and braces against relative movement.

9. A fabricated metal structural unit comprising: a pair of rails having webs and inwardly turned flanges forming a channelled cross section, and a plurality of brace members alternately inclined in opposite directions and having arcuately channelled intermediate portions, and abutting feet of fiat cross section overlying portions for interlocking said feet and said Webs, and lugs inwardly turned from said flanges at points spaced inwardly from the free edges of the flanges and interlocked with said feet, said feet conforming in width to the width of the channels in said rails, whereby said braces are held against movement relative to said rails.

HARRY W. HAHN. CHARLES E. KEAS. EDMUND P. BURKE. 

